


Draco Malfoy is A Good Future Father-In-Law 2020

by acme146



Series: Fading Scars [11]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Acceptance, Coming Out, Draco Being A Good Dad, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Past Child Abuse, Scorpius is adorable
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-25
Updated: 2017-05-25
Packaged: 2018-11-04 15:10:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10993461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acme146/pseuds/acme146
Summary: Scorpius is afraid to tell his grandfather something. Draco, finally, is no longer scared to talk to his father.





	Draco Malfoy is A Good Future Father-In-Law 2020

**Author's Note:**

> Cheers to Willow_Angel for inspiring the title :) Sorry it wasn't 2017, dear, but they're only eleven then! They need more time.   
> Another note: Draco has never been abusive to Scorpius. Lucius was physically (briefly) and emotionally abusive to Draco. This is discussed in non-graphic terms, but I figured that was important up front.

Draco sank wearily into his chair. He’d been busy all day helping Tori move her mother into the old folk’s home, and he’d had quite enough of his in-laws. Tori had gone with her sister to get supper, but Draco wanted to spend some time with his son, who’d spent the day with his grandparents.

            He gave himself five minutes to sit down, then dragged himself up. He knew Scorpius wanted to try out some new Quidditch maneuvers, but perhaps he could persuade his son to do something else. Something that didn’t involve quite so much exercise.

            He knocked on Scorpius’ door. “Scorpius? I’m home.”

            There was no answer.

            Confused, Draco opened the door. His son was curled in the corner, a blanket wound around himself and tears streaming down his face.

            “Scorpius!” Draco dashed to his side. “Son, are you hurt? What happened?”

            Scorpius just shook his head.

            “Scorp?” Draco tried to pull the boy into his arms, but his son resisted. “What happened?” Then he was struck by a terrible fear, one he’d been trying to put out of his mind since the day his son was born. “Did something happen with your grandfather?”

            To his horror, Scorpius nodded.

            Draco reached out tentatively, put his hands on his son’s face. “Scorp, lad, please tell me what happened.”

            “You’ll hate me too.”

            “Hate you? I could never hate you, son. Never.” Draco tried to wipe some of the tears from Scorpius’ face, but more came. “Please tell me what happened.”

            Scorpius took a deep breath. “I told Grandfather…” a sob cut him off, and he took a deep breath. “I told him something, and he didn’t like it.”

            “Did he hurt you?”

            Scorpius shook his head so violently Draco lost his grip. “Not…he didn’t use his wand or—or anything. But it…it hurt, Da.”

            Draco pulled him into his arms then, ignoring the weak resistance. “I’m so sorry, love,” he whispered. “Whatever it was, I promise you can tell me and I won’t be cross. Just—please.”

            Scorpius held himself stiffly in Draco’s arms. “I told him that I went on a date.”

            “You did?” Scorpius hadn’t said a word to him or Tori about liking someone. “That’s nice. I suppose you might be a bit young, but that’s alright.”

            Instead of making Scorpius feel better, the reassurance seemed to make him worse, and he trembled and curled into himself. Draco stroked his hair, trying to think of why his father would be so angry?

            “Scorpius, is it because your date…” he hated what he was about to say, but he had a feeling he was on the right track. “She’s not pureblood, is she?”

            Scorpius bowed his head.

            “You know I don’t think that matters anymore, right?” Draco said desperately. He could still hear himself saying _Mudblood_ when he was younger than Scorpius, secure in his superiority even though Granger was better than him at everything that counted. “I don’t care, and neither does your mum. Your grandfather won’t change his mind, but that doesn’t matter—”

            “He’s pureblood, Da,” Scorpius interrupted.

            Draco stared at him.

            “Well, I suppose he is. Harry’s halfblood, but they’re both magic, so I suppose he is.”

            Draco drew in a deep breath. “You went on a date with Albus Potter?”

            Scorpius nodded. “Last week during a Hogsmeade trip.”

            Draco nodded. It did make sense. They’d always been close. “I didn’t know you were interested in boys, Scorpius.”

            “I didn’t really know either,” Scorpius confessed. “And I don’t know that I am. I mean, I’m not interested in girls, but I’ve only ever really noticed him.”

            “Well, we’ll have to have a chat with him, me and Mum. We want to make sure that he knows to treat you properly, but I’m sure he already does.”

            “What?” Scorpius stared at him, and the shock in his eyes broke Draco’s heart. “You don’t—you don’t care?”

            “Of course I care! I’m happy for you, son. Keep it slow, though. You two are young, and—”

            “But you don’t care that he’s—well, he’s a boy?”

            “Not at all.” Draco froze. “Hold on, is that what your grandfather was angry about?”

            Scorpius nodded. “I only said his name, and Grandfather said that it was—it was the worst thing I could do, dating him.”

            “Right.” Draco pulled Scorpius close for a long moment, then kissed the top of his head. “Come with me, son.” He helped Scorpius out of his blanket cocoon.

            “Da?”

            “We’re going to have a word with your grandfather.”

            Scorpius was trembling, and Draco forced him to ask again. “Scorpius, tell me the truth. Did your grandfather harm you physically? Has he ever done that?”

            “No. But he’s threatened, once or twice. And I know…I know he hurt you.”

            Draco winced. “That was a long time ago.”

            Lucius Malfoy had been the rare abuser who restrained his physical violence after a confrontation from his wife. He’d thought what he was doing to his five year old son was normal, and was horrified when Narcissa set him straight, promising never to lay hand or wand on Draco again. But it took years, Azkaban and Scorpius’ birth for Lucius to realize that he’d done just as much damage with his tongue. Draco knew his father loved him as well as he could, but he’d always wished that he’d learned how to show that as easily as his anger and disappointment.

            He was damned if that would continue with Scorpius.

            “Scorp, look at me. I’m not going to let your grandfather hurt you. But this needs to be addressed now. Mum and I are fine with this, and if your grandfather isn’t, then he needs to know the consequences as soon as possible. You don’t have to say a word, okay?”

            Scorpius nodded, then reached out and took his father’s hand. He hadn’t done that since he was ten.

            Draco walked with his son, matching his pace with his boy. Lucius was still in the drawing room, which seemed to be his favourite room in Draco and Tori’s house. His face was drawn, and he stood when he saw Scorpius. He opened his mouth to speak, but Draco beat him to it.

            “Let me make this perfectly clear, Father: you have no right to tell my child who he can and cannot date. I suppose I should be grateful that you didn’t say anything about his blood status, the way you are. And so what if he’s a boy? As far as I’m concerned that’s the best way it could be, because this way the Malfoy line can end. Unless you want to father a child, Scorp, that’s fine—”

            “Draco,” his father cut him off. “I don’t care that Scorpius is gay.”

            “You don’t?”

            “Of course not! I had male lovers before your mother, including Yaxley, who was the gayest Death Eater, and that’s saying something. Why would that matter?”

            Scorpius was staring open mouthed at his grandfather. Draco controlled his own shock with difficulty. “So then…what’s the problem? You said it was terrible.”

            “Of course it is! He’s dating a child from a Potter-Weasley union!”

            “Alright, Father, _enough_. Those people are my friends now through some mercy of time and forgiveness, and they’re good and worthy. More than I ever could be. Blood purity is a ridiculous notion, and even if you won’t give it up Scorpius doesn’t have to support it!”

            “I understand that.”

            “Then what on earth is the problem?” Draco snapped.

            “He will never be their family!” Lucius whirled, his back to them. “The new regime has no room for the Malfoys, and you know this! Scorpius will learn soon enough. Perhaps it’s convenient and easy for him to be friends with Albus right now, but he will always be your son! Do you want that life for him?! Because I never wanted it for you!”

            “You’re scared he won’t fit in. You’re scared that they can’t love him.” Draco took a deep breath. “Father, they already do.”

            “You don’t know that.”

            “Yeah, I do. And they care about me, which is a much bigger surprise. I don’t talk about the Weasley family to you, Father, because I know it upsets you, but they’ve included Tori and Scorpius and I in a lot of family events. I’ve even got one of Molly Weasley’s jumpers.” He’d cried opening that package, cried and begged the kind old woman’s forgiveness for ever thinking of her as lesser, for bearing the Mark of the same people who’d killed her brothers and her son. She’d given him a handkerchief to wipe his face and a quick hug.

            “It wasn’t easy, it took time, and there were times I almost gave up for the same reasons that you’re worried about now. But they’re better than I am at seeing good in people, and they saw good in me I never noticed. Hermione Granger and I talk about politics together. _Hermione Granger_. Ron Weasley and I played on the same Quidditch team at the Easter holidays, and Harry…remember when he got injured in the fall? Ginny Flooed me right after Ron and Hermione, and said she did it because Harry would want me to know. And as for Scorpius…he’s _one of their own_ , Father. They’ve never treated him differently. Even Neville Longbottom doesn’t, and he and I aren’t friends. We never will be, because I don’t particularly like him. But I admire and respect him, and mostly because he’s buried the hatchet. He didn’t have to do that. None of them did. But they’ve accepted me, and they’ve accepted my son.”

            Lucius looked towards the fire. “And now that they’re dating?”

            Draco looked at Scorpius. “Do Al’s parents know yet?”

            Scorpius nodded. “He told them in a letter; they already knew he was gay. Ginny wants me to come to tea tomorrow, and Harry said he was happy. Hermione couldn’t stop laughing.”

            Draco rolled his eyes. “Of course she couldn’t.” He had a sneaking suspicion Hermione had guessed about Al and Scorp a while ago, and was rather grateful the woman hadn’t interfered.

            Or if she had, she’d been subtle enough that her nephew and Scorpius didn’t know. There was a trace of Slytherin in Hermione Granger.

            Lucius put his hands together. “In that case…I’m sorry, Scorpius. I was worried about you, and I was very unclear about why. It appears that they were foundless worries as well. Will you forgive me?”

            “Will you come to my wedding?”

            “Scorpius, you’re thirteen,” Draco scolded.

            “I know,” Scorpius said, and the strength in his son’s eyes startled him. “But I might marry Albus Potter someday, and I want to know that you will come even though you don’t like his family. I know you don’t want to change, Grandfather, and I love you even though I think you’re wrong. I want to know that you’ll do me the same courtesy.”

            Lucius’ lips trembled, and he approached Scorpius with his hand held out. “I will, Scorpius,” he promised. “And perhaps it’s time for an old man to start reconsidering his ideas.”

            Draco couldn’t believe it.

            Scorpius shook Lucius’ hand, then fell against him. “I thought you hated me.”

            “I could never hate you,” Lucius promised, giving him an awkward hug. “I don’t understand this new world, and I fear the legacy you bring into it, but my prejudice should not disrespect your courage. We are family.” He met Draco’s eyes. “I need some practice at making that perfectly clear.”

            Draco nodded, his throat tight. “How about we all go for a walk in Scamander’s Hollow?” he asked. “Apparently there’s some migrations happening soon.”

            Scorpius’ eyes lit up. “Yeah! I’ll get my bag, Da!”

            “You’re not bringing home anything alive,” Draco called. “Your mother will have a fit!”

            He was left alone with his father, something he used to dread. Now he felt sorry for the old man, trapped in a mind that wouldn’t accept the new ways because he would have to face his own guilt, have to face his lack of superiority.  

            “I wasn’t a good father,” Lucius said abruptly.

            Once Draco would have corrected him, tried to soften the criticism, but Lucius held up a hand. “But I somehow managed to produce one. I’m proud of you, son, even though I don’t always understand you.”

            “Thank you, Father.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hope everyone enjoyed! Credit goes to a lovely friend of mine for "the gayest" line.  
> Sneak peek for next week: we'll be going a little further back in time, and the week after expect a chapter involving something I know very little about (but the same friend is helping me, so I'm sure I'll muddle through).  
> No, it's not sex. That's the week after, I promise (not too NSFW)   
> Also, there may be some previews of upcoming works on my tumblr in the next couple of days. I would guess Friday, maybe Saturday. My tumblr is illuminating-dragons.tumblr.com, if you didn't know.   
> Cheers,   
> Acme


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